Electrical flasher



Sept. 9, 1930. w. G. KEITH 1,775,242

ELECTRICAL FLASHER Filed .June 2o, 192'? 2 sums-sheet 1 lil PatentedSept. 9, 19.30

UNT STATES PATE-NT OFFICE WILLIAM G. KEITH, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNO-RTO kVVELSBAGH TRAFFIC SIGNAL ELECTRICAL FLASHER Application ledJune. 20,

This intention relates to electrical flashers and .has special referenceto electromagneti- 'ally operated flashers for controlling electricsignal devices, electric signs and the like.

More particularly, this invention has ref erence to an electricalflasher' wherein a pair ofk fluid contact maling-andbrealing members areoperated by an electromagnet, one of said contact Inaling-and-brealiingmembers being adapted to control an electrical circuit for energizingsaid electromagnet and the other of said contact making-and-break-v ingmembers being adapted to control an electrical circuit for operating theload.

inasmuch devices of the character indicated above are continuous inaction, it is desirable that such devices be simple in construction,simple in operation and that they require minimum amount of electricalcur- Y rent for their operation. Moreover, it is particularly desirableto provide a construction which is capable of opening and closing anelectrical circuit indefinitely without substantial deterioration ordisintegration of the contact making-and-breaking members or of theoperating mechanism generally.

The present invention, which conforms to the foregoing requisites,comprises a pendulum pivot-ally connected to a support, the pendulumhaving a pair of electrical switches preferably of the tiltable fluidconmakingeand-breaking types mounted thereon and operated by anelectromagnet. One of electrical switches controls the opy eration ofthe electromagnet while the other of the electrical switches isconnected to a lamp or other suitable load which latter is rolledthereby.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an electrical flasherof the type referred to above which will be simple and efficient inoperation and durable in construction.

Another object of this invention is to provide an electrical flasher asindicated above y be embodied;

1927. Serial No. 200,168.

which, by means of an unbalanced magnetic field, will be-self-startingand will eliminate the necessity of counterbalancing means for thearmature thereby reducing the amount of electrical energy required forits operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide an electrical flasheras described above which is controlled by a pair of preferablycoordinated electrical switches operating in separate electricalcircuits whereby the lamp circuit may be fed from a higher potentialcii'cuit than that of the battery, and whereby a de-fective condition inthe lamp circuit will not stop the operation of the flasher.

It is also the object of this invention to provide an electricalflasherof the type as noted above in which the length'of llash periodmay be conveniently regulated.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an electricalflasher of the before mentioned design in which the number of kflashesper minute may be readily controlled.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent fromthe following description and accompanying drawings and for a betterunderstanding` of the nature,`

scope and characteristic features of this invention, reference may nowbe'liad to the' following description and the accompanying drawings inwhich drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view of an electrical device in which theinvention may F ig. 2 is a side elevational view of the mechanism of theelectrical flasher showing the casing thereof in section;

Fig?) is a rear elevational view of a portion of the mechanism of theelectrical flasher;

f Fig. 4 is a plan sectional viewtaken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram of the electrical circuit embodied in thisinvention as illustratedt by the previously described figures.

.Referring'nowto the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 to 4,inclusive, therein, the present invention is shown as embodied in asignal apparatus 10 for illustrative purposes only since this device maybe employed for operating electrical signs, apparatus for spectacularillumination of all kinds and all devices and apparatus wherein aperiodic make-and-break of an electrical circuit is employed.

The signal device 10 in this instance is used as a warning, particularlyfor motorists and is placed at the end of the street, a turn in theroad, railroad crossings, intersections in streets, etc. This devicecomprises a signal head in which is positioned an electrical lamp whichis disposed centrally of the lens 12, a standard 13 for said signal headmounted on a container 14, an electrical flasher 15 'centrally locatedin said container and for operating said lamp, and batteries 16 in thelower portion of said container for operating said electric flasher and,in this particular instance, for lighting said electric lamp. However,as will be hereinafter more fully described, these batteries may beemployed for operating the electrical circuit of theelectro-magnetically operated means only as it may be desirable to`operate the lamp from a source of supply which is of a higher potentialthanthat of the batteries.

The electrical flasher 15 comprises a metal base 17, having a pair ofvertically extending supports 18 suitably secured thereto. Thesesupports are secured together at a point near the upper ends thereof bymeans of a U-shaped bracket member 19 which is preferably formedintegrally with the supports. The extreme upper ends of said supportsare provided with horizontally extending arms 20 upon which lattermembers is mounted an insulating plate 21 for carrying a plurality ofterminals. v

An electromagnet 22 substantially of the horse shoe type is disposed onthe U-shaped bracket 19 'and comprises a preferably U- shaped soft ironcore around which a coil of wire 23 is wound and insulated therefrom.The U-shaped core portion of the electromagnet is preferably invertedand has one of its arm members 24 secured to the bracket 19 by means ofa screw 25, the surface of they bracket 25 coacting with the arm 24being slightly inclined to permit of a slightly tilted position of theelectromagnet 23 and the arm 26 of the electromagnet having asubstantially parallel relation with the arm 24. In other words, thisconstruction provides that the magnetic field be asymmetrical withrespect to the armature and the supporting structure so as to produce anunbalanced magnetic field.

In order to periodically light the lamps of the signal device, a pair oftiltable fluid contact making-and-breaking members 27 and 28 aredisposed in supporting members 29 and 30, respectively, each of whichlatter mem- Maaate bers comprises a plate which is pivotally secured atone end thereof to a plate 31 mounted on an armature 32. A pair of armmembers preferably integrally formed with the plate of its supportingmember extend upwardly to form clips which engage the contactmakingand-breaking members and hold the same in a fixed positiontherewith.

The armature 32 comprises a bar of soft iron of a size to conform to thecore portion of the electromagnet 22 and is disposed between the ends ofthe arm members 24 and 26. A suflicient amount of clearance is allowedbetween the ends of the armature and the arms 24 and 26 so as to permitof an oscillation of the armature therebetween. rIhe armature is mountedon a shaft 33 which extends between the upright supports 18 and ispivotally mounted thereto as by means of a reduced portion 34 on eachend of said shaft 33 engaging an aperture in a screw member 35 extendingthrough said upright supports 18. rlhe screw members 35 are held in afixed relation withthe supports 18 by means of lock nuts 36.

The contact making-and-breaking members 27 and 28 are identical instructure and a dcscription of one will therefore cover the structure ofthe other. The contactor 27 comprises an elongated hermetically sealedcontainer having apair of spaced cooperating electrodes disposed thereinand at one end thereof, the electrodes being bridged by means of acompact and coherent body of a current conducting fluid such as mercuryto permit of an electrical circuit to be completed therethrough. Thesetubes are adapted to be tilted in a desired direction whereby themercury will be caused either to bridge or to How away from theelectrodes thereby making-and-breaking the electrical circuittherethrough.

A downwardly extending pendulum 37 is secured to the underneath side ofthe armature 32, the pendulum being disposed preferably in axialalignment with the horizontally extending shaft 33. The lower end of thependulum 37 is provided with screw threads for receiving in threadedengagement therewith a weighted member 38. For shipping purposes, ascrew 39 is extended through the base 17 and into the screw threadedaperture of the weighted member 38 whereby the pendulum is held in asubstantially rigid position. TWhen it is desired to operate theelectrical flasher, the screw member 39 is disengaged from the weightedmember 38 permitting the pendulum to swing freely. By means ofadjustably mounting the weighted member 38on the pendulum rod 37, thenumber of flashes obtained in the electrical flasher can be definitelydetermined whereby a positive periodicity is obtained therein.

By reason of the shaft 33 being located centrally of the armature 32 andby reason of the pendulum rod 37 being in axial alignment with the shaft33, the armature 32 is normally held ina substantially horizontalposition. As hereinbefore stated, the electromagnet is slightly tiltedso as to obtain an unbalanced magnetic field. The pole of the arm 26 isin close proximity to one end of the armature 32, while the pole of theother arm 24 of the electromagnet extends a relatively greater distancebelow the other end of the armature 32, therefore when the coil oli theelectromagnet is energized, the arm 26 will be the operating pole toactuate the armature and the opposite pole of the magnet will. be lesseffective.

In the operation of the electrical flasher thus iai described when theelectromagnet 22 is energized, the magnetic lines of force threadthrough the armature 32 thereby attracting one end of the armature torotate the latter about its axis 33 as the armature seeks aposition suchthat the maximum magnetic force may pass directly therethrough. Thecontactor tubes 27 and 28, being tixedly mounted on the armature 32, aretilted to a 3 position such that the current conducting luid containedtherein flows away from the electrodes positioned at one end of thetubesr to break an electrical circuit which normally existstherethrough. As one of the contactor tubes controls the electricalcircuit through the electromagnet 22, this circuit openingr causes theelectromagnet to become deenergized. thereby permitting the armature 32to seek its normal horizontal position, the

pendulum 37 and the weighted member 38 acting to return the armature tothis position. It will be noted in the operation of the electromagnetthat the arm 2G thereof is the Voperating pole to elfect the raising ofthe end of t-he armature in close proximity thereto. The opposite poleof the magnet or the arm 24 is less effective than the first mentionedpole being somewhat below the axis of oscillation and acts more or lessas a damper or butler against too rapid oscillation..

In order to regulate the length of flash period, or that period of timeat which the lamps or loa( are in a closed circuit position,

. afscrew member 40 is threadedly engaged in the armature 32 and extendsupwardly therethrough to abut the lower edge of the free end of each ofthe contacter tube supporting members. Should the screw members 40 exf,tend a greater distance through the armature 32 than that shown in thedrawings, the current conducting fluid in the container would flow awayfrom the electrodes after but a slight oscillation of the armature 32whereby a small flash lperiod is obtained; whereas, should the screwmember 40 recede from the position shown in the drawings. a greater'rotation oi the armature 32 would be required in order Yto permit ythecurrent conducting Huid to low away from the electrodes wherebyasubstantially great flash period is obtained. In the lformen'thecurrent conducting fluid will be in contact with the electrodes butr aminimum length of time; whereas, inthe latter the current conductingfluid will be in contact with vt-he electrodes for a maximum period oftime.

In order to permit a free movement of the pivotal members, flexibleconnections are provided fory the tiltable contactor tubes. One or theelectrodes in the contacter 28 is secured to one end of a bracket 41secured to and insulated from the shaft 33. One end of a coil springconductingy element 42 is connected to the other end of the bracket 41,the other end of the conducting element being secured to an arm 43a of aterminal 43 insulated from and secured to the upright supporting member18. The terminal 43 is in turn connected to one end of the coil of theelectromagnet, the other end of the coil 23 being connected to theterminal 44 which is mounted on the insulating plate 21.

The other electrode in the contactor 28 is connected to one of theelectrodes in the contactor 27, this latter elect-rode being in turnconnected to one end of a bracket 45 insulated from and disposed onthe/shaft 33. One end of a second coil spring con ducting element 46 issecured to the other ond of the bracket 45, the other end of theconducting element being connected to an arm 47a extending from a terminal 47 mounted on the upright standard 18. This latter terminal 47 isconnected to a terminal 48.-

mounted on the insulating base 21. The remaining electrode in thecontactor 27 is connected to another coil spring conducting ele` ment49, one end of said conducting element being secured to a bracketv 50 towhich latter the last mentionedfelectrode is suitably connected. Theother end of the conducting element 49 is secured to an arm 51aextending from a terminal 51, the latter terminal being connected to aterminal 52 mounted on the insulating base 21.

In order to more thoroughly understand the aforementioned electricalconnections, reference may now kbe had to the wiring diagram of Fig. 5wherein one electrode ot' the contactor 28 is connected through the coil.23 to the terminal 44. The other electrode ot the contacter 28 isconnected to one ot the electrodes in the contactor 27 and thence to theterminal 52. The remaining electrode in the contacter 27 is connected tothe terminal l48. The batteries 16 are connected between the terminals44 and 52, while the lamp 53 contained in the housing 11 of the signalflasher is connected between the terminals 44 and 48.

` When the contactors 27 and 28 are in a tilted position such that anelectrical circuit exists therethrough, an electrical circuit isObtained from one side ofthe battery through the terminal 44, the coil23, the contacter 28 to the other side of the battery through theterminal 52, while another electrical circuit is obtained from one sideor" the lbattery through the lamp 53, the terminal 48, the contactor 27tothe other side oi the battery through the terminal 52.

When no electrical energy is obtained through the electric flasher, itis preferable to permit the pendulum to hold the armature in a positionsuch that a closed circuit exists through the contactors 27 and 28 inorder that the mechanism of the electric flasher be self-starting when asupply of electrical energy is fed thereto. VAlfter the electricalcurrent is supplied to the device, the electro-magnet 22 is energized toactuate the armature 82 and the lamp is energized to light theelectrical Hasher. However, it may be desirable to so arrange theelectrodes in the ends oi the contactor tubes 27 and 28 so that when theelectrical iiasher is at rest, as previously described, the contactercontrolling the electromagnet ccupies a closed circuit position whilethe contacter controlling the lamp or other load is in an open circuitposition. ln this manner, the electric flasher may be said to besell-starting as in the previously described construction.

l/Vhile but a single embodiment oi this invention is herein shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that the device is not to be limitedto that specilic structure, since'various modifications may be apparentto those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scopeoi this invention, and thereore, the latter is to be limited by thescope oi the appended claims and the prior art.

l claim:

l. ln a device oi the character described, a support, an armaturepivotally mounted thereon, a plurality of fluid contactmakingand-brealzing members adjustL bly mounted independently of eachother on said armature, a pendulum for normally holding saidv armaturein one position, and a substantially U-shaped electromagnet loractuating said armature into Va second position, said armature beingdisposed between the arms oi' said electromagnet, said electromagnetbeing contr lied by one ci said iiuid contact makingand-brealingmembers. Y

2. ln a device oi the character described, support, n armature pivotallymounted thereon, a pi and-breaking members mounted on said armature,means tor normally holding said armature in oneposition, and anelectromagnet asymmetrically disposed relative to and 'for actuatingsaid armature into a second position, said yelectromagnet beingcontrolled by 'one' oi' said contact making-and-breaking members.

3. ln a device of the .character described, a support, an armaturepivotally mounted 'arality of iiuid contact makingy thereon, a tiltableswitch mounted on said armature and actuated thereby, a pendulum eX-tending downwardly from and secured t said armature tor normally holdingsaid armature in a substantially horizontal position, and anelectromagnet normally asymmetrically disposed relative to said armatureand for actuating said armature into a second position, saidelectromagnet being controlled by said tiltable switch.

e'. ln a device of the character described, a. support, a substantiallyU-shaped electromagnet fixed to .said vsupport and disposedasynnnetrically thereto, an armature pivotallyy mounted between thepoles .of said U- Vsha sed eleetromanet `and actuated thereb andswitching means mounted on said armature for controlling electricalcircuits, one of said electrical circuits controlling saidelectromagnet.

ln a device of the character described, a support, an electromagnethaving the pole members disposed asymmetrically relative to saidsupport, an armature pivotally mounted between and iniiuenced by saidpole memone of said pole members being normally disposed aslightdistance above one end oi said Larmature and the other oi saidpole members being disposed a comparatively greater ,distance below theother end of said arinatnre, switching means mounted on d armature nforcontrolling electrical cirs, one of said electrical circuitscontrolline' said electromagnet.

G. ln a device oi the character described, a support, an armaturepivotally mounted thereon, a plurality of i'lnid contactmakinganc-brealzing members pivotally mounted on said armature, meansfor adjusting the degree of tilt oi said contact making-and-breakingmembers relative to said armature, and magnetic means for inluencingsaid armature and controlled by one ot said contactmalring-and-brealring members.

i'. ln'an'electric flasher, a support, an armature pivotally mountedthereon, a plurality oi lluid contact making-and-breaking memberspivotally mounted on said armature for controlling electrical circuits,means for adjnsting the degree oitilt of said contact mam and-breakingmembers to control the lenga oi' flash period in said electric flasher,

means ior actuating said armature controlled by one oi' said electricalVcircuits, and a pendnlum'extending downwardly from said armature tocontrol the number of iiashes over a given period of time.

8; ln an electric flasher, a support, an armature pivotally mountedthereon, a plurality ci iiuid contact malring-and-breaking memberspivotally mounted on said armature for controlling electrical circuits,an adjusting screw for engagement with each of said contactmaking-and-breaking members lor regulatingthe degree of tilt thereofwith respect to said armature to control the length of flash period insaid electric flasher, `an electromagnet disposed asymmetrically withsaid support and said armature and controlled by one of said electricalcircuits for influencing said armature, and a pendulum extendingdownwardly from said armature to predetermine the number of flashes overa given period of time.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WILLIAM G. KEITH.

